From honorifics that span many levels of politeness, to three different writing systems…for learners of Japanese, it may feel like the more you learn, the less you know. Although there has been great progress in translation technology, the language barrier remains a challenge that affects interactions between foreign and Japanese residents. Fortunately, there is growing recognition within local governments to apply a different approach: Yasashii Nihongo, or “Easy (Plain) Japanese.” The word ‘yasashi’ means both “easy” and “kind”, reflecting a style of communication that is simplified and empathetic. There are two ways to use Yasashii Nihongo, in written and spoken forms and today, I will be focusing on the spoken application.

Yasashii Nihongo developed following the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, as many foreign residents struggled to understand the emergency information that was given in complex Japanese or English. In response, Professor Kazuyuki Sato from Hirosaki University created a simplified version of Japanese to ensure that information is available to those with basic Japanese skills. Yasashii Nihongo isn’t only for non-Japanese residents and benefits the elderly as well as people with cognitive decline.

Here’s a graphic of the languages that the foreign population of Ichinoseki understand:
As you can see, Japanese is the most understood language, and English comes in second.
Japanese natives are often surprised by this; many were raised thinking they should communicate in English when they met someone who isn’t Japanese. A large proportion of Japan’s foreign nationals are from neighboring Asian countries and find simplified Japanese easier to navigate than English.

<2022 Ichinoseki City Survey Report on Foreign Residents(Pg: 2)>

Some ways to simplify Japanese:

• Short, non-complex sentences
• Speak slowly and clearly
• Honorific expressions should be avoided
• Don’t use vague expressions

Don’t use onomatopoeia

And some ways that Japanese can be kinder
1) Adjusting language level
2) Actively listening and checking for understanding
3) Understanding there could be cultural gaps in knowledge

Sounds good in theory, but is it really that effective?

As someone who came to Japan with advanced Japanese skills, it was hard to assess how useful Yasashii Nihongo really is. Sure, I had seen the statistics, but it wasn’t until recently, when I had the opportunity to conduct a Yasashii Nihongo workshop for library staff of Ichinoseki City that I could see it working firsthand.
Most of the library staff lacked prior knowledge of Yasashii Nihongo, but following a 30-minute presentation, they began testing it with volunteers from Nigeria and Indonesia at a beginner to intermediate level in Japanese. Initially, the volunteers were unable to grasp most of the standard Japanese expressions that were presented to them. Following efforts to reorganize vocabulary and sentence structure, the participants who self-reported understanding 0 –30% of the initial texts, claimed they grasped 70% –100%. It was exciting to watch both sides light up when understanding was achieved.
Looking ahead, areas of implementation in real life situations was an area of uncertainty within the staff. Not knowing the Japanese proficiency of a person that comes to the counter and how to adjust/grade their language in response. “What if they feel it’s rude to talk to them in simple terms when they can in fact understand fluent Japanese?”, and on the flipside, “What if I speak regular Japanese to them and they get disheartened and walk away because of the level being too difficult?”.
These are some empathetic questions that I’d like to tackle the next time I run a Yasashi Nihongo workshop, drawing on ongoing introspection and practice.

Having observed Yasashii Nihongo in action, it is clear to me that it’s a highly effective tool. Although Yasashii Nihongo isn’t perfect, nor the only tool for communicating with foreign residents, there’s no doubt that it opens a window of opportunity for better connection. After a short 30-minute seminar, staff members could adapt their own communication style and start interacting with international residents, rather than having to learn a whole new language or rely only on translation apps. However, its thoughtful application is necessary. And importantly, it’s a mutual effort: while foreign residents work to learn a new language, local residents are encouraged to adjust their own language use for effective communication.
With the number of foreign workers in Ichinoseki gradually increasing, tools like Yasashii Nihongo support integration. As part of the Kitakami Site, a candidate location for the International Linear Collider, Ichinoseki is actively learning how to become a city that promotes multicultural coexistence.